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US 11,686,627 B2Granted
Distributed active mechanical waveguide sensor driven at multiple frequencies and including frequency-dependent reflectors
AssigneeEtegent Technologies, Ltd.
InventorsRichard A. Roth, II, Stuart J. Shelley, Kevin Sigmund, Oleg Lobkis
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An active mechanical waveguide including an ultrasonically-transmissive material and a plurality of reflection points defined along a length of the waveguide may be driven at multiple resonant frequencies to sense environmental conditions, e.g., using tracking of a phase derivative. In addition, frequency-dependent reflectors may be incorporated into an active mechanical waveguide, and a drive frequency may be selected to render the frequency-dependent reflectors substantially transparent.
Claims16
A sensor for sensing an environmental condition in an environment, comprising:
- an active mechanical waveguide including an ultrasonically-transmissive material;
- and
- control logic coupled to the active mechanical waveguide and configured to drive the waveguide with ultrasonic energy, process an ultrasonic signal propagated through the waveguide in response to the ultrasonic energy, track a phase derivative of the ultrasonic signal, and determine a value for an environmental condition based upon the tracked phase derivative of the ultrasonic signal;
- wherein the active mechanical waveguide includes a plurality of reflection points defined along a length of the waveguide to define a plurality of sensing regions along the waveguide, and wherein the control logic is configured to determine a value for the environmental condition for each of the plurality of sensing regions based upon the tracked the phase derivative of the ultrasonic signal.
1 more element
A method of sensing an environmental condition in an environment, the method comprising:
- driving an active mechanical waveguide including an ultrasonically-transmissive material with ultrasonic energy;
- processing an ultrasonic signal propagated through the waveguide in response to the ultrasonic energy;
- tracking a phase derivative of the ultrasonic signal;
- and
- determining a value for an environmental condition based upon the tracked phase derivative of the ultrasonic signal;
- wherein the active mechanical waveguide includes a plurality of reflection points defined along a length of the waveguide to define a plurality of sensing regions along the waveguide, and wherein the method further comprises determining a value for the environmental condition for each of the plurality of sensing regions based upon the tracked the phase derivative of the ultrasonic signal.
3 more elements
A sensor for sensing an environmental condition in an environment, comprising:
- an active mechanical waveguide including an ultrasonically-transmissive material and a plurality of reflection points defined along a length of the waveguide to define a plurality of sensing regions along the waveguide, wherein the plurality of reflection points includes first and second reflection points defining a first sensing region of the plurality of sensing regions that is disposed between the first and second reflection points and that has a resonant frequency that varies at least in part based upon the environmental condition;
- and
- control logic coupled to the active mechanical waveguide and configured to drive the waveguide to track a plurality of resonant frequencies of the waveguide, wherein the control logic is further configured to determine a value of the environmental condition for the first sensing region by determining a first resonant frequency among the plurality of resonant frequencies that is associated with the first sensing region.
A method of sensing an environmental condition in an environment, the method comprising:
- tracking a plurality of resonant frequencies of an active mechanical waveguide including an ultrasonically-transmissive material and a plurality of reflection points defined along a length of the waveguide to define a plurality of sensing regions along the waveguide, wherein the plurality of reflection points includes first and second reflection points defining a first sensing region of the plurality of sensing regions that is disposed between the first and second reflection points and that has a resonant frequency that varies at least in part based upon the environmental condition;
- and
- sensing the environmental condition at one or more of the plurality of sensing regions based upon the tracked plurality of resonant frequencies, including determining a value of the environmental condition for the first sensing region by determining a first resonant frequency among the plurality of resonant frequencies that is associated with the first sensing region.
A sensor for sensing an environmental condition in an environment, comprising:
- an active mechanical waveguide including a wire formed of an ultrasonically-transmissive material and a frequency-dependent reflector defined by a discontinuity along a length of the wire;
- an ultrasonic transducer coupled to the waveguide and configured to propagate ultrasonic stress waves through the waveguide;
- and
- control logic coupled to the ultrasonic transducer and configured to control a drive frequency for the ultrasonic transducer to render the frequency-dependent reflector substantially transparent.
1 more element
A sensor for sensing an environmental condition in an environment, comprising:
- an active mechanical waveguide including an ultrasonically-transmissive material and a plurality of reflection points defined along a length of the waveguide to define a plurality of sensing regions along the waveguide, wherein the plurality of reflection points includes first and second reflection points defining a first sensing region of the plurality of sensing regions that is disposed between the first and second reflection points;
- a plurality of support members supporting the waveguide along at least a portion of the length of the waveguide, wherein each support member defines a frequency-dependent reflector;
- an ultrasonic transducer coupled to the waveguide and configured to propagate ultrasonic stress waves through the waveguide using a drive frequency to which the frequency-dependent reflector of at least one support member is substantially transparent;
- and
- control logic coupled to the ultrasonic transducer and configured to determine a value of the environmental condition for the first sensing region while controlling the ultrasonic transducer to propagate the ultrasonic stress waves through the waveguide using the drive frequency.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.